Art Baker (actor)
Art Baker (actor)
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Art Baker (actor)

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Art Baker (actor)

Art Baker (born Arthur Appleton Shank; January 7, 1898 – August 26, 1966) was an American film, television and radio actor.

Baker was born January 7, 1898, in New York City. He initially planned to be a singer, and during World War I he was a song leader while serving in the United States Army. During his time in the Army, his hair turned prematurely white and would later serve as his trademark look. His post-war occupations included touring with traveling evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Foursquare Church, and operating an appliance store in Glendale, California.

Baker's radio career began as an announcer on Los Angeles radio station KFSG. He later worked at Forest Lawn Memorial Park as a tour guide. Baker was chosen to be the narrator of the radio program Tapestries of Life. The show aired on Los Angeles radio station KFI and became syndicated nationally. Tapestries of Life aired for two decades. Baker went on to work on as many as 22 shows per week.

In 1936 General Mills cast Baker as Captain Bob Baker the Bisquick Maker to host the CBS show, Hollywood in Person, a first of its kind tabloid program in which a "studio on wheels" mobile production trailer would arrive at set locations to conduct candid interviews with celebrities about their gossip and rumors. The show was co-hosted by Louise Roberts (Lois Collier) and ran for two years.

On September 8, 1938, Baker created Art Baker's Notebook on radio station KFI, which lasted for two decades. The program was syndicated in more than 50 markets via electrical transcription, and aired uninterrupted for more than 2,000 episodes. An innovative and widely successful publicity stunt was performed in 1947 on Art Baker's Notebook, when Baker interviewed Jimmy Stewart about his upcoming film It's a Wonderful Life. Baker offered listeners a free transcript of the show and photo of him with Jimmy Stewart. The show received nearly 50,000 letters in the first week.

From 1939 to 1941 Baker worked on The Hedda Hopper Show sponsored by Sunkist.

In 1941 Baker became the announcer for Bob Hope's The Pepsodent Show.

People Are Funny debuted on NBC on April 10, 1942, with Baker as host. The program's stunts and audience participation were calculated to reveal the humorous side of human nature. People Are Funny was the first game show to air repeats. Art Linkletter replaced Baker in 1943.

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